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(No Model.)

J. M. EDGAR. INDICATOR LOOK.

No. 458,125. Patented Aug. 18,1891.

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UNTTED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M/EDGAR, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN Z. RORABACK,OF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,125, dated August18, 1891.

Application filed May 6, 1891- Serial No. 391,812. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. EDGAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Indicator-Locks, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new mechanism involving as its essentialconstruction circular tumblers of varying diameters, and havingdifferential numbers of teeth extending perpendicularly from ortransversely of their peripheries, the tumblers being 1mp osed one uponthe other to cause the respectively adjacent teeth to intermesh and onetumbler to overlap the other by reason of their different diameters, or,in other words, to be relatively eccentric, whereby rotation of one ofthe tumblers will rotate the others,but differentially.

My improvement is especially useful for indicator-locks and the like,and, in fact, I have particularly designed it for application to anindicator-lock, in the nature of a padlock, for use in sealing the doorsof freightcars, mail-pouches, and analogous purposes, wherein the objectto be accomplished is that of causing the device to afford its ownevidence of tampering by displaying, as the result of such tampering,variation from a predetermined combination of displayed characters.

The more especially intended use for my improvement being as stated, Ihereinafter particularly describe it as applied to a carseal lock, andso illustrate it in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is avertical sectional view of an indicator-lock constructed in accordancewith my improvement. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the case modified as toits interior construc tion. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of thelowermost of the circular tumblers. Fig. 4. is a similar view of thecase. Fig. 5 is a top'plan View of the uppermost'or bolt-lockingcircular tumbler, showing by dotted lines the spring-dog, which isprovided on the cover of the case to prevent back turning of the lock.Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is a View in elevationof a broken portion of the uppermost circular tumbler, show ing it asindicative of all the tumblers to be provided on its periphery withcharacters. Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views of two other tumblers. Fig. 10is a top plan view of the tumbler represented in Fig. 3. Fig. 11 showsby a view in elevation a key suitable for working the lock. Fig. 12 is abroken sectional View showing the free end of the bolt as it is engagedby the uppermost tumbler.

A is the case, which should taper at least internally to adapt thetumblers of varying diameters hereinafter described to fit it, and, ifdesired, the case may be provided inside with ledges, as shown in Fig.2, to afford seats for the tumblers, though such seats are notnecessary. The case cover 0 carries the spring-dog r on its under side,and a bolt 13, pivoted at one end to one side of the case, terminates atits opposite end in a tongue t slotted transversely across its inneredge. I show four tumblers D, E, F, and G, though the number thereof maybe increased or diminished according to desire, provided it be not lessthan two, and while they must be circular they may be mere bands, disks,or annular disks. For the sake of cheapness, lightness, and simplicity,I prefer to provide the tumblers in the form of bands, except thelowermost one D, which should be filled like a disk to prevent insertionthrough it and through the entire series of any instrumentsuch as apiece of wire-which would serve as a means for disengaging the dog 4' ina manner to permit the lock to be turned backward and the predeterminedcombination to be reassembled after changing it surreptitiously. Thetumbler D fits upon the bottom 19 of the case A, which I provide with aV-shaped opening q, the sides of which should radiate from near thecenter of the bottom 1), and which contains at its wider end a centraldividing-tongue 0. The turnbler D is formed with radial notches n in itsbase, which by turning the tumbler may be brought successively intocoincidence with the side of the opening q, into which a key K isadapted to be inserted to enter such notch n. for turning. the tumbler,the recess shown in the end of the key permitting it to pass the tongue0, and thus permit the turning of the key throughout the width of theV-shaped opening. From the upper side of the tumbler D extend teeth mfrom its periphery, the number thereof being eleven, though there may bemore or fewer, and upon the periphery are characters such as numbers andletters-as indicated on the tumbler G, in Fig. 7, the number of thecharacters preferably corresponding with the number of teeth.ThetumblerE,whiehisacircularband in form,isof greater diameter than, thetumbler D, and is provided with teeth like the latters tecth,but onemore in number, and extending coincidently from opposite edges of itsperiphery, as many of the teeth atits lower side being adapted to fitthe spaces between teeth of the tumbler D as will, in view of thedifference in diameter between the two tumblers, coincide with suchspaces. The tumbler E is provided with peripheral characters, preferablyone for each of the pairs of oppositely-extending teeth and in relativepositions to coincide, respectively, with those on the tumbler D. Thetumbler F is like the tumbler E, except that it is greater in diameterand has one more pair of the oppositely-extending teeth in, thelower ofwhich enter as many spaces between teeth of the tumbler E as coincidewith the latter. The tumbler G is greater in diameter than the tumblerF, and has teeth m only 011 its lower edge, one more in number thanthose on the tumbler F, and as many of which fit in the spaces betweenthe teeth of the tumbler F as coincide therewith in view of thedifferential diameters of the two tumblers, both of which are providedon their peripheries with suitable characters arranged as are those onthe other tumblers described. The annular tumbler G has, furthermore,inner circumferential teeth Z, to be engaged by the s )ring-dog 'r onthe cover 0 to prevent backward turning of the lock, and besides it hasa circumferential fiange 7; about its upper side provided at intervalswith recesses i. Then the tongue end of the boltB is down, the boltisilocked by the flange of the tumblerG entering the recess in thebolttongue t, and to unlock the bolt the tumbler Gr must be turned tobring a recess t' in its flange coincident with the tonguet, when thebolt may be withdrawn. As will be seen on inspection of Fig. l, thedifferential diameters of the circular tumblers and the relativearrangement of their 'teeth m cause them to coincide throughout portionsconstituting mutually differentiating arcs of their circumferences, inwhich relative positions they are maintained by confinement in the caseA, the arrangement being such as to cause the coincidence of theperipheries of the tumblers to be maintained along a perpendicular planeatone side of the case and cause them to successively overlap oneanother toward the opposite side thereof.

In one side of the ease Aisa perpendicular opening 71., which should beglass-covered for the display of the combination.

To use the device, it is set with a predetermined combination ofcharacters displayed at the opening 7L by a relative arrangement of theseveral tumblers, which also causes the flange 7c of the tumbler G tolock the bolt B. The object of a device of the charaeterof thatillustrating my improvement is, as will be unstood, to aiford evidenceof tampering with it by the change in the displayed combination whichsuch tampering would necessarily produce, so that if the object it lockshas been opened that fact will be manifested by the resultant change inthe lock-combination.

To operate the device to lock or unlock the bolt 13, a suitableinstrument, as the key K, is inserted into the opening (1 and into acoincident slot or in thebottom tumbler-D. Then by turning the key thetumbler D is turned, the extent of each such turningbeing preferablylimited by the width of the opening (1 to one tooth m and necessitatingfor each successive teeth a like extent of the turning, withdrawal, andreinsertion of the key. As will be seen, each turn by the key brings adiii'erent combination to view .at the display-opening, and therecessest' in the flange of the tumbler G are such distance apart as tobring one to coincide with the tongue of the bolt to unlock the latterwith each two turns of the key. Turning of the lowermost tumblerobviously turns all the others equally; but being of different diametersa complete revolution of the tumbler D will produce only partial revolution of the tumbler E, less of a complete revolution of the tumbler F,and still less of the tumbler G, so that, as will appear quite obvious,not only will each turn of the key present a new combinatiombut acomplete revolution of the tumblerD brings to view a new combination ofcharacters on the several tumblers, which, owing to their relativelydifferential diameters, are each moved about a center eccentric to thatof the actuating-tumbler D.

Though I have described my invention as applied to an indicator-lock andwith details of construction especially adapting it for that purpose, Ido not wish to be understood as intending to confine it to suchparticular application, as the generic construction, comprising two ormore rotary tumblers confined in longitudinal series and of varyingdiameters, whereby they relatively overlap and having the differentialnumbers of teeth intermeshing, as described,is applicable to variousmechanical purposes, and I desire, therefore, to be understood asclaiming my invention for all purposes to which it is applicable.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination,circular rotary tumblers of varying diameters havingdi'li'erential numbers of teeth extending perpendicularly to theirperipheries, the said tumblers being disposed in longitudinal series oneupon the other, with several 01": their respective teeth intermeshingand the tumblers being relatively eccentric and overlapping one anotherbeyond their mutually intermeshing teeth,

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and a suitable support holding the tumblers in their relative positions,substantially as described.

2. In combination, a case tapering on its inner side toward one end andprovided with a cover, circular rotary tumblers confined in the case ofvarying diameters and having differential numbers of teeth extendingperpendicularly to and characters provided on their peripheries, thesaid tumblers being imposed one upon the other, with several of theirrespective teeth interm eshing and the tumblers being eccentric to oneanother and overlapping beyond their mutually intermeshing teeth, a boltadapted to be locked by one of said tumblers, and means for holding thetumblers against reverse rotation, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a case A, tapering on its inner side toward one endand provided with a bolt B, a tumbler D in the base of the case havingteeth on around its upper edge, a tumbler E, of greater diameter thanthe tumbler D, and provided with teeth m, extending from both edges ofits periphery and in greater number than those of the tumbler D, atumbler F of greater diameter than and having teeth like the tumbler E,but in greater numher, a tumbler G of greater diameter than the tumblerF and provided with teeth on, extending from the lower edge of itsperiphery in greater number than those on the tumbler F, and providedwith internal teeth Z, a recessed flange k on the tumbler G, and a cover0, carrying a dog 7, engaging the teeth Z, the said tumblers beingprovided peripherally with characters and imposed one upon the other,with portions of their toothed parts intermeshing and eccentric to oneanother, overlapping beyond their intermeshing toothed portions,substantially as described.

4. In combination, a case A, tapering on its inner side toward one endand provided with a bolt B, with an opening q in its base and adisplay-opening h,a tumbler D in'the base of the case having teeth maround its upper edge and notches 'n in its under side, an annulartumbler E of greater diameter than the tumbler D, and provided withteeth m, extending from both edges of its periphery and in greaternumber than those of the tumbler D, an annular tumbler F of greaterdiameter than and having teeth like the tumbler E, but in greaternumber, an annular tumbler G of greater diameter than the tumbler F andprovided with teeth m, extending from the lower edge of its periphery ingreater number than those on the tumbler F, and provided internally withteeth Z, a recessed flange k on the tumbler G, and a cover 0, carrying adog 1*, engaging the teeth Z, the said tumblers being providedperipherally with characters and imposed one upon the other withportions of their toothed parts intermeshing and eccentric to oneanother, overlapping beyond their intermeshin g toothed portions,substantially as described.

JOSEPH M. EDGAR. In presence of-- O. L. SEAGRAVES, E. D. F. BRAOKETT.

